Slug casting machine



SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed July 50, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ""mlllllllllllllllll IIIIIIIIIIIIII /N VENTO/e A TTORZE Y;

Mardi 26, 1940. A, B .WATSON SLUG CASTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Filed July 50, 1938 'IXVENTOR @rrr-vvk l Patented Mar. l276, 1940 UNITED *STATES PATENT*OFFICE* l `2,195,140 y SLUG CASTING MACHINE Artemas B. Watson, Columbia, S. C., assignorto l Mergenthaler Linotype Company, .a corporation i Hof NewYork n Application July 30, 193s, serial No. 222,159 Y 12 Claims. l ,c1'.^1`99 '53j e This invention relates to typographicall slug casting machines of the general organization rep-v resented in U. S. Letters Patent to4 O. Mergenthaler wherein a composed line of matrices is pre` i sented to lthe front face of aslotteol mold, the mouthpiece of ametal pot presented against the rear face of the mold, andmolten metal yinjected by a pump from the metal pot into the mold slot or cavityto form a type-bar'orslug.A j .l

In such machines the various operations, such 20 chine and, just prior tothe casting operation, the.

I mouthpiece thereof is brought into engagement with the rear'face of the mold by rocking or tilt-f ing thel potv forward under the influencey of one of the cams whichengages with a roller of-a 'verl 25 tically disposed lever carriedby the vmetal pot.`

To insure metal vtight engagement' between the mouthpieceand the face of the mold, as well as to prevent vdamage to the machine inthe 'event the rocking or forward movement. of fthe pot is '130,arrested before `the mouthpiecev is presented against therface' of the mold, thellever'is resiliently mounted, that .is to' say, the-upper end of the lever is pivotally s'ecuredtofthepot and the lower end thereof is adapted 'to move` forwardly 35 toward the pot under the. influencefof the rotating cam-against the action of a 'spring wlientl'ie forward movement of the :pot is arrested, the vex- ,Y ytent of this movement being determined by the .distance that the metal pot is arrestedv back` of 40 its most `forward or normal casting position.

,K The pump which is operated to inject ia charge ,y of molten metal from the pot into the mold `slotor cavity is operated by another of the camslontl'ie main drive'shaft, and since the-maindrive shaft The present inventionl is' intended to overcome the above and other objections and contemplates 55 automatic meansfor stopping the machine when- 'ever the advance of the metal pot is arrested be-` fore the mouthpiece thereof is .presented against the face of the mold. Specically, the machine is provided with a rockerarm having one o its ends so positioned that the lower end of the pot lever 5 comes to rest immediately behind it as the pot is arrested when the mouthpiece is presented 'against the rear face of the mold. rIhe other end of the.' rocker arm is positioned in front'of a stud carried by the fore-and-aft rod by which the clutch is engaged .anddisengaged iB y vthisarrangement, when .the advance of the metal potis;

arrested before thei 'mouthpiece is presented against the face of themold and the lower end of the resilient lever moves-forwardly a correspond' ingly'greater distance than'normally, the rocker arm is rotated and, in doing Seng'ages the stud carried by the fore-and-aft rod and' forces the latter backwardly to` disengagev the clutch and stop the machine before the pump-is permitted to. 20

operate. l. l

For a clearunderstanding yof thev present iny vention,";reference may be made .to the accom# panying drawingsfwherein it` is shown in pre-v ferred form and by .way of example.. It will be` obvious,.however, that many changes and alter-4 f ations may be made therein and `in its mode of adaptation withoutfdeparting from its spirit, and it lis vto be understood that the invention'` is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as' such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

lReferring tothe drawings: f .e

Fig. l. is a side elevation, partly in section, of the casting mechanism constructed in accordance with the `present-invention; I f y Fig. 2 is an elevation of the main driving clutch and the mechanism employed in rendering it in-y operative in the 'event the'frmouthpiece of the metal pot isnot brought into engagement with 40 the rear face of the mold; andA I Fig. 3 `is a view 'taken Valong the line 3T3 vof In'the drawings, l0 represents a metal pot in which molten metalis stored. As usual, the pot I0 is provided witl'iawell orl cylinder Il from' l which `a throat I2=leads` upwardly and outwardly to a mouthpiece I 3.' The pot I0 vis arranged to be rocked or tilted forwardly and backwardly to rod "I1 supported in thframe of the machine.

At the rear, the pot III is'provided with a pair of brackets I8 (only one being shown) in which is pivotally mounted, by a pin I9, the upper end of `a lever 20 whose central portion is provided with a roller 2| adapted to track upon the periphery of a cam 22 fast to the main shaft23 of the machine. The lower vend of the lever 20 is resiliently connected to the pot I0, being provided with an aperture through which extends the free end `of a short rod 24, whose other end is pivoted to a bracket 25 depending from the bottom of the metal pot. A compression spring 2B, positioned about the rod and conned between twofcollars 2I and 28 respectively, maintains the lower end of the lever 20 resiliently away from thepot I0,

the distance being governed by meansr of a pair of adjusting nuts 29 threaded onto the free end of the rod 24.

The peripheral face ofthe pot operating cam` 22, as usual, is concentric'throughout, exceptifor one portion where it is raised to provide. an operating segment 30. When the roller 2| is'in contact with the lower portion of the cam 22, the pot il)` is in its rearwardor inoperative position, and

this condition obtains until' just beforev the casting operation, when the cam 22 rotating'in ther direction indicated, brings thev raised portion 30 As usual, a plunger ,3| is positioned in the well or .cylinder |Ir of the metal pot Ill, and it is connected by means of a rod or link 32 to the long arm of` a bellcrank lever 33 having a sleeve portion 34 journaled on a fixed transverse rod 35 of the machine frame and provided with an arm 36 extending laterally beneath a second lever 3'I which is also journaled on the rod 35 and' con-l nected at its free end to a pull spring 38. 'Ihis spring is anchored to the main frame of the ma-l chine and actuates thev plunger 3| through the connections just described. The shorter arm of the bell crank 33 is provided with a'roller 39 arranged to track upon the periphery of the usual rotary cam 40 fast to the main shaft of the machine. The peripheral face of the cam 40 is concentric throughout, exceptV at one portion of its circumference where it isi cut away or formed with a depression 4I. When the machine is Aat rest, the roller 39 is in contact with the concentric portion of the cam, so that the plunger 3| is maintained in its raised or inoperative position.

This condition obtains, until after the mouth-y piece I3 of the metal pot I0 has been pressed into engagement with the rear face of the mold I4,

when the cam 40vrotating in the direction indi-` cated. brings the downwardly. sloping surface of the depression 4I into engagement with the roller 3|, which then quickly descends along such surface toward the bottomof the depression, thus permitting the spring 38 to depress the plunger 3| land force a charge of molten metal into the slotted mold I4 to form a type-bar or slug against a composed line of matrices 42 which previously had been presented against the front face of the mold in the manner well understoodA in the art.

the cam 4I'I continues to rotate, the ro1ler39 is subsequently engaged by the upwardly sloping surfaceof the depression 4I and the plunger 3| thereby restored to its normal raised position to await the next casting operation.

The main shaft 23 of the machine on which the cams are mounted, is driven by power operatedmeans including a large gear wheel43 meshing with a driving pinion 44v on an auxiliary shaft 45 which is equippedwith the customary main driving clutch (see Rogers Patent No. 661,386) comprising a pulley 46 and clutch shoes 4I. The operation of the clutch shoes `4'! to render the clutch operative .and inoperative is effected'as usual,

f by a fore-and-aft rod 4B which when moved for `wardly engages the clutch to inaugurato `a machine cycle of operation and when moved backwardly'disengages the clutch to stop the machine.

In accordance with the Apresent invention, means are provided for moving the fore-and-aft rod 48 backwardly to stop'the machine automatically before the plunger 3| operates in the event that the forward movement of the metal pot Iii is arrested and the mouthpiece I3 is not pressed into engagement with the rearface of the mold To this end, the usual pot lever 20 is replaced withone of' greater length having an offset lower end.49. On av bracket Ell` secured to the machine frame, a rocker arm 5| is rotatably mountedby means of a stud 52. One end of the rocker `arm 5| is provided with an adjusting screw 53 which is so positionedthat the lower end 43 of the lever comes to rest immediately behind it. when the metal pot is rocked forwardly to present the mouthpiece I3 against the rear face of the mold I4. The other end of' the rocker arm 5I. is! so positioned asy to vbe immediately in front of `a stud.

54 carried by the fore-and-aft rod 4B when the rod is in its `forward or clutch operating position.

Under these conditions, when the advance of the metal pot I0 is arrestedbefore the mouthpiece I3 is presented against the face of the: mold I4', the lower end49 of the lever 20 moves forwardly againstl the action of the spring 23 a much greater distance than itnormally does., and as it so moves forwardly, it engages the adjusting' screw 53 and thus rotates the rocker arm 5I. As the rocker arm 5I rotates, it engages the stud 5a and forces the fore-and-aft rod 48 backwardly to disengage the clutch and stop themachine.

By referring to. Fig-1,` it is seen that the de'- pressed portion 4I does not` come into" action to operate the plunger3| until some timeafter the raised portion 3l) of' the pot operating cam 22 has rockedk vthe'potIII forwardly to present the mouthpiece I3 against vthe rear face of `the mold I4. Consequently, when the advance ofthe pot I Il is arrested before the mouthpiece'IS is presented-against the face of the mold I4, the clutch is automatically disengaged to stop the'machine before theplunger 3| is permitted to operate to .inject a charge of molten metal from the pot IB.

Afterthe machine has been stopped and the cause remedied, the fore-and-aft rod 43 may be pulled forwardly to start the machine, the pin 54 posed between the power operated means and 3-.7111 01' OIB/ Slug CaSgmaChIJhe C0111"- .the metal pot for rendering the power operated 'bination oi' a slotted mold, a melting pot having means inoperative when the advance ofv the metal pot is arrested before the mouthpiece is presented against the face of said mold.

2. In or for a slug casting-machine, -the combination of a slotted mold, 4a metal pot having V,a M ,mouthpiece power operated means for advancing the metal pot to presentthe mouthpiece against one face of `said mold, a pump for rforcibly injecting molten metal from said pot through.` said mouthpiece into said mold, and safety .means interposedy between the power operated means.

liination'ef a slotted mold, a melting pot having Q a mouthpiece, a main drive shaft, a lclutch for 15 driving said shaft, a cam fast yto said shaft, a l

and the metal pot for rendering the Apower v'operatedineans inoperative before the pumpis permitte'd to operate when the advance of the metal pot is arrested before the mcuthpieceis presented against the face of said mold.

3. In'or for a slug casting machine, the combination of a slotted mold, a metalv pot having a mooitlfipiece,l a main drive shaft, a clutch for driving said shaft, a cam fast to said shaft, means responsive to the rotation of saidcam for advanclng. said' pot to present the rmouthpiece, against one face ofvsaid moldgand safety means interposed between the cam and the metal pot for disengaging said clutch when the advance of saidpot is arrested before' the mouthpiece is presented'against the face of the mold.

4. In or for a-slug casting machine,` the combination of a slotted mold, ametal pot having a mouthpiece, a main drive shaft, a clutch for driving said shaft, a cam fast to said shaft, resilient means interposed between said cam and said pot for advancing the pot to present the mouth-v piece against one face of the vmold in response .to the rotation of said cam, and means actuated by said resilient means for disengaging the clutch when the advance of the pot is arrested before the mouthpiece is presented against theface of the mold,

5. In or for a slug casting machine, `the combination of a slotted mold, almetal pot having a mouthpiece, a 'main drive shaft, a clutch'for driving said shaft, a cam fast to said shaft, resilient means interposed between said cam and said pot for advancing the potvto present the mouthpiece against one face of the mold in response to the rotation of the cam, and means rendered operative through the' yielding of said resilient means for disengagng said clutch when the normal advance of the pot is arrested.

6. In or for a slug casting machine, the combination of'a slotted mold, a meltingpot having l a mouthpiece, a main drive shaft, a clutclifor driving saidshaft, acamfast to said shaft,` a resiliently mounted lever interposed between said cam and said pot adapted to advance'the pot to present the'mouthpiece' against one face ofthe mold in' response to the rotation of the cam, and i. means rendered active through the yielding-of said lever for disengaging said clutchv whenthe normal advance of the pot is'arrested.

. 7. In or for a slug castingmachme, the combmamon of Slotted m01 (1 metal pot having Aa, mouthpiece, a main drive shaft, acam fast to A said shafty and operativeto advance said pot to .present thev mouthpiece against one face o f said bination of-a slotted mold, a metal .pot havingfa mouthpiece, a main drive shaft, a clutch fordriving said. shaft, la cam fastV to said shaft, a lever f interposed between said cam and-said pot adapted to advance said pot in response kto the rotationA of said shaft to present the mouthpiece against 'one face of said moldv and' to move abnormallyv towards said pot when the advance of said pot is arrested, and means responsiveto such abnor- `mal movementof said lever towards saidv pot for disengagingsaid clutch.

a mouthpiece, al main drive shaft, a clutch for driving said shaft, a cam fast to said shaft, a

resilient lever interposed between said cam and 5- said pot radapted to `advance the pot in response to therotation of said camto present the mouthpiece agaistone face of the 'mold and to move abnormally relatively tothe Vpot when the advanceof the pot is arrested, and means rendered 10 active by such abnormal :movementy of said lever fordisengaging said clutch.

9. in or fora slug casting machine, 4they com-, y

lever interposed 'between said pot and said cam and adapted to advance the metal pot to present l the mouthpiece against'on'e face -of said mold inv response to 'the rotation of the cam, one vend of j 20 said leverbeing pivotally securedv to said pot and the otherend thereof being` so mountedthat it moves abnormally towards the pot when the advance 0f the pot is arrested, and means responl sive to such abnormal movement of the lever. 25

ldriving said' shaft, a cam fast to said shaft, a 30 fore-and-aft. rod lfor rendering the clutch operative and inoperative, a lever interposed between the pot andthe cam adapted to advance the pot to present the mouthpiece into engagementwith one face of said moldin response to the rotation 35 of said cam, one end of said lever being pivotally` securedto` said potv and the other end of the lever being so mounted lthat `it moves towards -said pot when the advance `olf-said pot is arrested,

and means responsive -to the movementof said ,40. lever' towards the pot for operatingjsaid rod t6 y disengage said clutch when the advance of said pot is arrested before the-mouthpiece thereofiis presented-againstfthe face of said mold. illfflnor for a slug casting machine, the com-` 45 binationof a slotted mold, a melting pot having a mouthpiece, a main drive shaft,r afclutch for driving said `sl'1'aft,`fay cam fast toly said shaft, aI

fore-and-aft rod lvfor' engaging and -disengaging said clutch, a lever interposed v.between the potI and said camadapted-.to advance the'pot tol present the mouthpiece vinto engagement with one face of said mold in response to the rotation of said cam, oneend of said lever being pivotally secured to said pot' and the other end of said lever 55 being so mounted -that it moves towards thefpot,

when the advance of the pot is arrested,I and a v rocker arm actuated by `-the movement. of said lever towards the pot for operating saidrod to' f disengage said clutch, whenv the advance of said -pot is arrestedy before themouthpiece thereof is presented againstthe face of. said mold.

12. In or 'for a slug casting machine'the commold, and automatic `"I nearis vinterposed between the cam and the metal pot for arresting the .ro- 7o vtation of the main drive shaft when the advance of saidvpot is'arrested before `the mouthpiece is presented against the face of. the mold.

ARTEMAS ,-B. Wirrs'oN.v Q75 

